Medical plane goes down in Lake Michigan

Chicago Tribune On Jun 5, 2007

A medical transport plane carrying six members of the University of Michigan Survival Flight team back to Michigan went down in Lake Michigan on Monday shortly after the pilot signaled an emergency, authorities said. There was no word on survivors.

As many as a dozen divers were searching water that was 60 feet deep, and five to 10 more divers were standing by, Milwaukee Fire Chief Doug Holton said.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Tony Molinaro said the Cessna Citation took off from General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee at 4 p.m. and was headed for Willow Run Airport near Detroit, a 42-minute flight.

The six people aboard included two crew members, he said.

Molinaro said emergency crews found aircraft debris about 6 miles northeast of Milwaukee, but no passengers.

The university said the team was returning from Milwaukee with unspecified organs for transplant to a patient in Michigan.